


The two sides of the same messy Future.

by Tia_Maria



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Adulthood is harsh, Automatic Submissiveness, Camping, David is concerned about his own choices in life, David is still the cinnamon-roll-sunshine we all love and care for, David is weak with alcohol, David thought he was a good role model, David worked as a tour van driver, David works for Max, F/M, Gwen had children, Insecurities, M/M, Max Has a Crush on David (Camp Camp), Max is horrible in showing his feelings., Max is still a dick, Max is very confident about every single one of them, Nikki and Neil are engaged, No Explicit Sexual Content, No Pedophilia, ONE-SHOT., Older!David, Older!Gwen, Older!Neil, Older!Nikki, Slow Brun-ish, Successful Max, Talking About the Past, The Camp has closed, Therefore they all should know what they are doing - except that no one knows shit, They all are adults, Years in the future, meeting after a long time, older!Max
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-30
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-12-26 19:14:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18288530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tia_Maria/pseuds/Tia_Maria
Summary: The camp closed, and, as sad as he was, David decided to keep his life going.He got a new job as a guide, in an ecotourism agency - feeling completed again.Then... an old acquaintance reappeared in his life without any warning.Much more grown up.And definitely more mature.





	The two sides of the same messy Future.

**Author's Note:**

> So… that’s my first “Camp Camp” fanfic. And, yes, I know, Maxvid it’s not really popular and some people will think this is a pedophile shit, but I did my best on keeping the character’s personality while still making them ten or so years older.
> 
> I did not beta-checked for grammatical mistakes - I’m sorry.

 

 

“Well, _that’s_ a surprise.” The brunette woman with a ponytail and a cute charcoal-colored dress appeared in front of David, taking his attention away from the colorful cell phone in hands. He stopped typing as his eyes widened in ultimate happiness of meeting a familiar face after so long.

 

“ _Gwendolyn_?!” He fastly raised from his seat, hugging the woman in a firm and wholeheartedly way, laughing at the little taps he got on the back.

 

“Of all the places, I honestly never thought I’d end up meeting you in a _bar_.” She commented in a cheerful and skeptic way. “Gosh, It’s so good to see you again!”

 

David, red hair combed and freckles still doting his white face, smiled that wide beautiful grin he used to every single first day of summer. His eyes closed as he laughed, in a way that made his grin even brighter.

 

“I’m the one that is the gladdest here!” His hands still resting in her arms as if he wanted to hug her again. “You look great!”

 

Gwen smiled back at the man, also excited to meet an old friend after _fifteen years_.

 

“Are you busy? Can we chat a bit?” David quickly asked her, in a manner as to not be pushy but eyes shining brightly at the opportunity. “It’s been _so long_ , I’m dying to hear about you!”

 

The woman nodded her head and decided to sit right beside the red-haired man near the bench of the bar.

 

“I was supposed to meet a client, but I’ll undoubtedly enjoy our chat better.” She waved a hand in the air, ignoring the worried - and also surprised - face of David.

 

“A client?” He asked, eyebrows raised. “That’s so _cool_!”

 

Laughing, Gwen rested her small hand-purse on her lap and answered.

 

“I got a job as a realtor, selling houses, lands, and shit.” She explained, picking her phone out of her purse and typing in it for a second. “I’ll text them to postpone the meeting.”

 

“I’m sorry to take your time.” The man said in a worried ton, eyebrows frowned a bit in uneasiness. “I hope it doesn’t affect your job.”

 

“Pfff,” Gwen grinned at him in a mischief way, gesturing for David to stop the nonsense. “I had to deal with way worse cases that involved you.”

 

It made the old camp counselor blush in abashment.

 

“W-well, _still_!”

 

“You keep worrying about _nothing_ , Davey.” The woman kid, enjoying the funny red face his old friend was showing.

 

She decided to ask to change the subject.

 

“How’s _your_ life going so far?”

 

Blinking a few times as to organize all the news that had yet to be told, David opened his mouth slowly as he played with his cellphone over the bench on the bar.

 

“I…” He started, unsure as where to begin. “Well, I guess you already know that the camp closed two years after you left.” The woman nodded her head as if answering that, indeed, she knew about this specific news, Gwen waited for the man to keep going. “I… I went back to my grandma’s place to take care of her while looking for a job,” He continued the story, smiling at the lingering memory of those first years. “I started working as a tour van driver for a big tourism agency, which was great! I’d drive people to nature parks, to the mountains, and I’d even get paid for accompanying them on hicks and trails!” He beamed, smiling at her. But, slowly, his smile faded to a less happy one until it vanished from his face as he concluded. “Then, I got involved with someone I shouldn’t have - and lost my job.”

 

Frowning in empathy, Gwen rested a hand on her friend’s shoulder. She was about to reassure him that it was okay, that people suck and he didn’t deserve it, but David surprised her laughing suddenly.

 

“Thankfully, after three months, I got accepted into my current job - which I work now as the HR of a large fabric company! And I honestly can’t complain about it!” His face brightened up again, smiling in that beautiful way only he knew how to.

 

Gwen replied with another bright smile, happy for his old friend.

 

“That’s great, Davey!” The hand on the old counselor's shoulder slid to his back and gave him a few pats, in proud.

 

The woman had, in all honesty, and for a long while, thought that his old friend had strayed from the happy path in life - she was _glad_ to be wrong.

 

Seeing David happiness was such a nice thing, that the view filled her heart with fondness.

 

“Oh, and I engaged once!”

 

At that, Gwen froze her widened eyes in surprise and unbelief.

 

“You almost married?!”

 

David laughed at her utterly abashed face, waving a hand and denying with his head.

 

“ _Almost_.” He replied. “They cheated on me.” He reached a hand to his chin and continued “But I guess that all worked out fine, It was a pretty boring relationship.”

He shrugged, clearly okay with the situation.

 

“But it has been _years_ since then, way before Max--” David suddenly started to fake a coughing fit noticing the little information that split his vocal cords. “Ma-May- _x_ \- My _ex_ \- my c-current _ex-partner_ , it is! S-sorry, something stuck in the throat.” And he coughed again in a fist, trying to hide a clear tinted blush on his cheeks.

 

The red-haired man laughed at his own clumsiness.

 

Gwen was sure that something was happening, but… somehow, she just couldn't point it out.

 

“So now you are single?” She asked as if trying to get back to into the conversation.

 

“I think I’ll order water, do you want something?” He quickly said, raising a hand to call of the barman’s attention, his other hand massaging his throat like something was really stuck there.

 

Gwen arched an eyebrow at the sudden averting of the subject. But she glanced at the menu and decided to order a beer for herself since she still wanted to spend more time talking to her old friend - that was, apparently, hiding something from her.

 

“As surprising as it is, _I’m_ married!” She said, entering into the subject from a different perspective. Maybe, this way, she could get some pieces of information out of David.

 

The older man automatically widened his eyes at the news.

 

“Congratulations!” He greet the woman. “Who’s the lucky person?”

 

“You probably don’t know him, since he’s older.” Picking her phone again, she typed the touch-screen looking for a picture in the gallery. “Really older, like, ten years apart.” Showing the lightly grizzled middle-aged man with a mustache similar to--

 

“Wow, he looks like Mr. Cam--”

 

“DON’T YOU DARE.”

 

David reached a hand to his mouth in a way to stop his own words from coming out. But a laugh urged the way out anyway, as small tears rose to his eyes with the fun of it while Gwen was hitting his arm with angry slaps.

 

“Hah! Sorry, sorry. He seems like a nice guy.” The old camp counselor smiled at his friend, once he stopped laughing.

 

The woman sighed, changing the picture for a different one David couldn’t see, and saw her smiling while looking at the screen.

 

With curious glances, the woman turned the phone back so her old friend could clearly see it.

 

There was a brunette child with the man in the picture.

 

David’s face almost ripped in two as he smiled larger than ever, completely absorbed by the wonderful view of a little _Gwendolyn_ all over the grizzled man, as they play piggyback ride.

 

“Oh my _God_!” David’s eyes were shining, but his smile never lessened. “You--”

 

“Yep!” Gwen answered, grinning in pround. “I’m a _mama_.”

 

David raised from his seat again, hugging the woman in a firm embrace.

 

“That’s amazing! She’s gorgeous! You are great! You husband is great! Oh my god, I can’t stop complimenting you-- Sorry-- That-That’s just _fantastic_!”

 

Gwen laughed at the utter happiness showing in her friend’s face and body language. Watching David run a hand to comb his hair in place.

 

“Thanks! But we are way _far_ from being _great_ .” She said, seeing the barman put their beverage on the counter they were sitting at. “Her name is Hayanna. She’s 4. You’d _love_ her.” Reaching for her beer, Gwen took a long swallow, loving the sour taste of it. “Tyller is super protective, he never had a daughter before. It’s a first thing for both of us. It helps that he’s a pediatrician.” She shrugged, resting her body on the back of the chair.

 

David listened to her story in daze, still surprised at the news.

 

Gwen had a child. That was something he just _couldn’t_ picture in his head before but is _really_ happy for her.

 

“Hey, don’t worry! It’s love and care that make it work, not skills!” David grinned, trying to assure her that everything was fine and she was going to be the best mom ever.

 

“Hah! You don’t change, do you?” She laughed, taking another sip of her drink. “The sunshine of sleepy peak.” David laughed at that, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. “You’d certainly be a parent thousands time better than me.”

 

The ex-camp-counselor dropped his smile a bit, and poured his ordered water into a glass nearby.

 

“I…” The older one started again, mouth opened as if words were supposed to leave it, but nothing did. “I don’t think that’s true.”

 

Gwen frowned, staring at the man by the corner of her eyes.

 

“Davey,” She called him. “You don’t seem fine, what’s happening?”

 

The red-haired man delayed to reply, clearly lost on his own distant thoughts, mumbling on the glass of water.

 

“My personal life is in a rather... complicated situation right now.” He shrugged.

 

“Well,” Gwen said, waving a hand as if asking for her friend to continue. “It might help if you talk to someone that is a technical expertise on _Girly Magazines_.”

 

David laughed quietly at the joke, and took another sip of his water.

 

“I don’t think you could--”

 

“Hey, com’on, _try me_.”

 

Sighing, the ex-camp-counselor pondered. He was indeed in need of someone to talk to - he barely had any real friends that he could trust. His... _boss_ … barely gives him time to interact with other people other than the ones he already knows or clients in general. God forbids him from catching David chatting with random people in anyplace, even worse in a bar.

 

Gwen hasn’t been aware of his story, she only remember the camp man all those years ago, but she was someone David never forget - a close friend that he could always count on.

 

Of course... he wouldn’t tell her all the details. Mainly because it might cause him an enormous shame and the urge to dip up a whole and die inside it.

 

But he could use the little opportunity he was given.

 

“ _Alright_.” David sighted, smiling, nodding his head. “I’ll try to summarize it.”

 

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

 

_“Like I said, I used to work as a tour van driver._

_But, sometimes, I’d guide the tourists myself._

_I’d go hiking, fishing and trailing with them._

_Once, some college students rented me to guide them throughout a three-days-camp inside the woods of a nearby city._

_I knew there was a beeeeeeautifull place to camp, because I have been there before._

_Once the class of college students arrived at the meeting spot…_

_I noticed that I_ **_knew_ ** _one of them.”_

 

David was beaming with so much anticipation, he was packed everything a camper could need. He packed everything and much more than what was extremely necessary.

 

The sun was up above the sky, the birds were singing and the weather as good as it could be.

 

David stared down at his watch and saw the time - the young lads were coming all in the same rented buss, from his agency, but he wasn’t the driver this time. That day, his work was just to be a guide.

 

The buss didn’t delay more than a few minutes to arrive, and David checked himself in the window of his personal car, just to be sure he was neat enough for the first impression. A loud honk surprised him and he shouted, listening to laughs coming from inside the vehicle.

 

“Hay, Davey!” The driver greets him over the opened window. “I brought your kids.”

 

Grinning in reply, the red-haired man nodded back.

 

“Thank you, Elias.” David remembered all those years working in Camp Camp, where the choirmaster would bring him the new kids indeed. But those tourists were nothing like that, they were all supposed to be in the last year of their college.

 

They were all young adults.

 

As the buss opened and smiling faces started to leave the vehicle, David prepared to introduce himself. Calling the attention of everyone that was already chatting about how beautiful the view was.

 

“Gooood morning, guys!” David exclaimed, as the sunshine he was. “Please come closer to me so we can talk better.” Waving his hands calling for their attention, the red-haired started again the introduction seeing that almost no one was inside the bus anymore. “My name is David, and I’ll be your guide for the next three days and two nights! I’m fully capable of taking care of you all, but I must say that I do have rules that must be followed unless any of you want to go home with fewer arms.”

 

As the young lads laughed at his joke, the man continued.

 

“There _are_ bears inside this woods, and they _will_ attack if threatened. Soooooo, rule number _one_ !” David raised a finger up in the sky as started to count. “Do _not_ go lurking in the woods alone, _or_ with your crush.”

 

The whole class laughed and David felt nice, noticing that he indeed still had the ability to make people laugh at his ridiculous jokes.

 

“Rule number _two_ !” Another finger raised, adding the number. “Do _not_ feed the animals, specially if it’s a bear - and the food is your _arm_.”

 

At that, all of them were grinning and chuckling at how silly the guide was. A few students were making fun about the number three being another rule about bears, while some girls were taking pictures of them all.

 

“And, finally, rule number _three_!” As the third finger raised, David’s attention got picked by another voice, coming from the middle of the crowded young adults.

 

“ _Never waste toilet paper._ ”

 

All the three fingers on David’s hand fell, and, in his face, only surprise could be seen. With widened eyes and his mouth opened in a sudden gasp, he blinked as if the image before his was an illusion.

 

There, between other students, were a man about his height - if not _taller_ \- dark messy curly hair, caramel skin, aquamarine blue eyes and a frown.

 

That was so familiar David lost his words.

 

It has been almost a decade since he saw that face for the last time - but it was undoubtedly there. The same characteristics that made him one of the best campers he ever had the pleasure to take care of when he was younger.

 

“ **Max**!”

 

_“Sorry, Davey - what was his name again?” Gwen asked, not really catching the word._

_“O-oh, it’s… l-lets just call him ‘that man’, his name is totally_ **_irrelevant_ ** _.” David assured her, and decided to keep going before it got too suspicious._

 

“Gosh, it was been a lifetime since I saw you last!” David ran to Max’s personal space hugging his unexpectedly, dragging surprised gasps from all the other students surrounding them. But the guide was unaware, he was just so happy to see one of his old campers again. “Woow! _Look at you_! You grew up so much!”

 

Max was as surprised as anyone. People don’t hug him. By the other students’ perspective, that was _not_ something usual to see everyday, specially with someone talking like that to the harshest student the university ever had.

 

Max was the freaking misfit of the class.

 

“And, _Holy Glory Jezus_ , I can’t believe you remembered the third rule! Here I was, thinking that none of you old campers had learned something from me!”

 

As the other students giggled at the image happening in front of them, with a smiling guy talking all uncle-stile to their delinquent classmate, Max only flicked his tongue in embarrassment.

 

But every once push David away from the warm hug.

 

“Erh, Mr. David, Guide, Sir.” One of the students raised a hand, calling for the older man’s attention. “Can you take a photo of everyone before we enter the woods?”

 

The red-haired man beamed.

 

“Of course I can!” He stepped away from Max’s personal space and took the camera in hands. “But I guess I deserve an introduction back, right?”

 

After the photo, he raised his voice again so everyone could listen to him.

 

“Ok, guys, now, _please_ , name and blood type, everyone!”

 

Of course it was a silly joke to make them all laugh again, but it worked anyway.

 

David learned that day that Max’s blood type was B.

 

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

 

Everyone was already setting up their tent, and David had finished lighting up a bonfire in the middle of the circle.

 

As they were all hicking, David got to know more about the students he was guiding. For exemplo, Tanya was a mexican girl and she loved airplanes. Pablo was Portuguese and he likes Football. Denis was british and wanted to inherit their family business. Lots of the students took a liking to him, chatting as if David wasn’t twelve years older than any of them.

 

The red-haired man fell like he was having more fun than ever, in all those years working as a guide. It was like hiking with friends.

 

Max wasn’t much into talking about his personal life, but David always tried to engage him into the conversation.

 

The bonfire was lit, people sitting around it was singing and chatting, some were eating snacks and a few of them were already sleeping.

 

David was laughing out loud at a joke some other student had said to him, and barely noticed a couple rising from their spot to lurk in the woods besides their tent.

 

The ex-camp-counselor sighed at the view, smiling at himself.

 

Yes, he knew how the youth was a pretty thing - but the woods are no place for those kind of activities!

 

He excused himself, telling everyone that he needed to make sure the couple were not going too far and stood up as well.

 

He turned around the tent and entered in the direction he thought the couple had gone to.

 

It was as dark as the night could be. The chill air of the florest was making him shiver and he ran both hands over his naked arms to ignite some warmth.

 

A tiny light in the middle of the woods caught his attention, and he decided to follow it to find the source.

 

“Max?”

 

The young man was sitting in the ground of the woods, between two high roots, smoking a cigarette. He arched an eyebrow in reply, as if asking what David was doing there.

 

“Tabaco is not good for your lungs.” He said, serious. The image of someone so similar to the kid he used to care for all those years ago, smoking in front of him, was really unpleasing. “You should stop.”

 

“How old am I, David?” Max asked, staring him by the corner of his eyes.

 

The ex-camp-counselor had to make the calculous, but he didn’t recall the other man’s birthday, so he guessed one year less.

 

“19?”

 

Max stood from his position, and approached the red-haired guide. Taking a deep breath in, filling his lungs with the ash, and blowing it between a barely opened lips, close to David’s personal space.

 

Between the action, he replied.

 

“I’m above the _teen_ fase.”

 

David frowned at how close the man was, and asked confused.

 

“I don’t see why does it matter - cigarettes are still bad for your health!”

 

Max took another drag in, not taking those aquamarine blue eyes away from his older camp-counselor. Once he finished, he whispered.

 

“I a fucking _adult_ now, David.” His voice was sharp, deep, and left no room for counterbacks. “I do what I _want_.”

 

Taking a breath in as if wanting to argue, David’s own lungs got bruised by the ashes in the air around them and he started coughing seriously, eyes filled with water in contained tears.

 

“ _Shit_ !” Cursed Max, lowly, waving his hands in the air trying to get the thick smoke out of David’s perimeter. “Okay, _okay_ . I’m putting out.” He threw the cigarette in the ground and stepped over it to put out the liten tip. His hands, then, fastly went to tap at David’s back, helping him out of the coughing fit. “ _Breath_ , man!”

 

David did as said, he looked up at Max while breathing - his face red and eyes filled with so many tears.

 

The younger man felt his cheeks blush at the cute expression.

 

“T-that’s why you should stop! Coff!” He coughed once more in a fist and stood straight in his own feet.

 

Max rolled his eyes and noticed that his hand was still resting on David’s back. The older guy’s body was cold, which explained the lingering shiverings he was feeling under his fingertips.

 

“You should go back to the bonfire.” The dark haired man said. “You are clearly freezing out here.”

 

David shook his head in reply, he couldn’t go back just yet.

 

“There’s a couple lost in the woods around here, I need to find them before the bears.”

 

Max sighed and frowned at the joke.

 

“They are probably making out - they’ll be back shortly.”

 

David shook his head again and looked around them between the tall trees, trying to get a glimpse of other people lost in there.

 

“I just want to be sure they are alright.” As he stepped back to start walking inside another direction of the florest, Max took his hand.

 

David surprised eyes watched as Max’s right hand was firmly holding his, not looking like he would be letting that cream color hand go anytime soon.

 

He noticed, and never forgot, how the younger man’s palm and fingers were warm that night.

 

“I’ll go too, but just to watch you get eating by _the bears_.” He grinned charmingly in reply.

 

Max’s teeth were bright white, and David barely ever saw them again.

 

“Well, _thanks_.” David said back, laughing at the joke.

 

Not much steps inside the woods, both started to listen to loud moans and decided to let the couple be.

 

_“So you went back to the bonfire.”_

_“We did.”_

_“Holding hands?”_

_David’s blushed face was getting even more red with the question._

_“W-well, no! At some point he did let my hand go.”_

  


The next day, they all decided to swim at the lake nearby, while a few students were in charge of making them barbecue lunch.

 

David put his sunscreen and entered the lake with the other guys. There, they played with a ball someone had brought and things were pretty nice. Funny, even. He was enjoying it.

 

Max just entered in the play because David invited him to. Throwing a ball so he could take it and running to the delimited space between buoys that they were using as a _gol_. It worked. Max did started enjoying it after a while.

 

By the sunset, everyone were already exhausted but also super happy. David lit their bonfire again as the darkness surrounded them with the night.

 

It was then, after a few minutes of talking cheerfully around the bonfire, that someone appeared with the booze and the weed.

 

“You guys brought **_drugs_ **?!” David asked in utter horrifying disbelief.

 

“ _Come on_ , Davey!” One of the girls sitting besides him laughed at his face. The nickname was wellcome, since everyone were already calling him that. “We are all adults, we can all drink and enjoy life a little.”

 

It hurted David to say that he had no control over those people wishes and desires. They would drink and smoke their weed - and, unfortunately, the red-haired guide couldn’t tell them not to do it.

 

They were indeed all adults there.

 

“Have at least one bottle, man!” A young student rested over David’s back, shoving a bottle of alcohol to the guide’s face. “What happens in the Last-Year-Camp will stay in the Last-Year-Camp!” He shouted aloud and the other students nearby raised their respective bottles as well, cheering at the phrase.

 

David instinctively picked the bottle that was being shoved into his face, but didn’t drink it.

 

Instead, he, automatically, reached his eye level to the other side of the bonfire.

 

Max was there, resting his back on a tall tree, drinking the booze directly from his can. His eyes, noticed David, were focused in him - aquamarine blue color dancing inside the young man’s iris with the light coming from the fire.

 

David swallowed cold.

 

He was the worst kind of drunk. And he _knew_ how fast he gets… unstable.

 

His system was just that - _ridiculously weak_.

 

“It’s just _one_ bottle, David!” Exclaimed one of the girls, already finishing her first one. Her boobs almost pressed against the red-haired man’s side and arms. But, for some reason, that didn’t really mattered.

 

“Yeah, Davey!” Agreed another student, hitting his bottle to the ex-camp-counselor's one as if toasting.

 

He should know better than get riddled up by young lads, still in the beginning of their adult life.

 

They succeeded, though, on making David drink the bottle.

 

And everyone cheered, toasted and kept enjoying their night.

 

_“Then?” Gwen asked curious._

_“Are you sure you want to talk about it? We can always forget everything and keep chatting about your kid - did I say she’s gorgeous?!”_

_“David, you’ll keep going and I’ll order another beer.” The woman raised her hand to call for the barman’s attention while David sighed in distress._

 

The guide opened his eyes, facing the inside of a tent he didn’t remember being his own.

 

“Oh, _no_.”

 

He didn’t want to look behind him and find out who was the person he slept with - he wasn’t ready yet.

 

He just knew it was a man. Because his hips and butt were slightly sore. And because he would clearly feel a bulge pressing against the soft skin of his buttocks.

 

That information didn’t ease his nerves at all - One of those students was spooning him. And, _worse_ , had fucked him the night before.

 

That just made his day really awful.

 

Gosh, he was above 30. One night stands should not be his thing anymore!

 

A kiss was placed on his nape, sending a shiver all the way down his spine. David had to bit his own lips to not moan at the lovely action.

 

He _wished_ one night stands were that tender.

 

Another kiss came, a little bit above, in the side of David’s neck. And, right after that, another one travelled his way up to the red-haired guide’s ear. The guy bit David’s earshell and that made the ex-camp-counselor raise a hand quickly at his own mouth to stifle a moan. A finger started at his waist and slipped his way up David’s cream color body to feel the man’s chest - pressing curiously at the man’s nipples.

 

At that David have had enough. He couldn’t fake that he was sleeping anymore and he should be an honest adult and deal with the consequences of his doings. Whoever was that man, licking the inside of David’s earshell, they need to agree that it shouldn’t have happen - and that they were both drunk and that both needed to--

 

“-Aah.” A sudden moan escaped his lips, as the finger decided to pinch his hard and sensible nipple while that humic and marvelous tongue were playing with all the erogenous zones located near his ear canal.

 

“Huff” A muffled laugh sounded playful, although clear as crystal. “ _Sensible_.”

 

David wishes it wasn’t who he found out it was.

 

“Oh, _lord_ .” David raised both hands to his mouth, eyes filling with tears. “ _I’m so sorry_.”

 

He could clearly listen to a sigh. Hands dropping and face falling back to the pillow. The man growled.

 

“You did not _sin_ , you idiot.” The deep, grown-up voice of Max sounded on his back, raising and sitting to look David from above. The red-haired man shook his head, trying to hide from the younger one’s sight. “You probably don’t even _remember_ what happened.”

 

David’s watery eyes, looked up at Max’s serious expression.

 

“D-did I start it?” He needed to know.

 

Max denied.

 

“No. _I_ did.” He answered. “But you were willing.”

 

David bit his lower lip and a few tears ran down his face.

 

The silence reigned for a while, as the guide tried to not make sounds of crying.

 

“Look… Just think of me like any other man.” Max said, getting dressed. “If it helps yourself, you can just forget about it too. I...” He frowned, looking down at the crying figure lying there on his tent. “Making you cry… wasn’t my intention.”

 

David nothing said, letting Max leave the tent a second later.

  


_“So you slept with a guy, what’s the deal?” Gwen asked, shrugging. “You clearly had done that before.”_

_“The same-sex partner wasn’t the problem!” David defended his actions on that day. “I cried because it was someone I knew since… they were a kid.”_

_“Oh my god. It was a_ **_camper_ ** _?!”_

_David hid his face in mortification, resting his head on his arms in the counter of the bar._

_“It was, wasn’t it?!”_

_The red-haired man blushed, nodding._

_If Gwen digs deep enough, she would figure out which camper it was._

_And David honestly didn’t want that._

_He wasn’t even near the end of the story yet._

 

Sometime near lunch hour, everyone started to pack their stuff to get back before the sunset. Which meant David, a barely kept older man, in the middle of a bunch of hangovered young lads, hiking back to civilization. The path back was mostly done in silence. And the ex-camp-counselor was thankful for that.

 

He wasn’t in the mood for joking around anymore.

 

He wanted to-- _no_ , he _had_ to forget about what happened. For Max and his own safety.

 

They reached the spot they met up in the beginning, and they all sighed in relief to see the familiar bus already parked in there waiting for them. Girls and boys were happily hugging David in their way to the bus, thanking him for the marvelous weekend.

 

Max stood before him, with both his hands inside his pockets, staring at the ground in a frowned expression.

 

“Goodbye, David.” The dark-haired man said, averting eye contact.

 

The red-haired man grinned, not wanting to reply the same way to the farewell.

 

“See ya’, Max.”

 

As the bus took off on the road, David sighed.

 

He should ask for an earlier vacation.

 

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

 

The barman arched an eyebrow at the ridiculous view of Gwen throwing her hands in the ar as if she wanted to shout at David.

 

“How exactly _that_ made you lose your job?!” The brunette woman saind between teeth. “It was practically a mainstream situation. An inoffensive act! Thousands of Last-Years do that - the booze and the weed are literally mandatory as a way to celebrate their graduation!” She rolled her eyes, while concluding. “But of course you wouldn’t know, you are too neat for this shit.”

 

David felt offended.

 

“First, I wouldn’t know mainly because I never _went_ to college.” He shrugged, in a matter of fact. “But, yes, you are right, it’s predictable that something like that may have happened - so, in the beginning, everything was quite fine.” He took a few sips of his water and continued. “However…”

 

Gwen arched another eyebrow at him, waiting.

 

“When I get back from my early vacation - I got dismissed, because someone at the agency saw a picture of the party.”

 

The woman shrugged, still not sure why that answered the question.

 

David, then, explained.

 

“In the picture, right in the corner - to be more specifically. It could barely be seen, but---” His voice failed, but he swallowed the uneasiness down with another sip of water. “I was there, clearly drunk, without t-shirt, and with a twenty-or-so-year-old guy all over me.” His cheeks blushed at the memory.

 

“ _Oh_.” Gwen’s mouth froze in a gasp. “I got it. It was against your contract, wasn’t it?”

 

“ _Section three, clause seventeenth._ ” David answered, sorrowness on his voice.

 

“Oh man.” The woman grimaced, sympathized with the story. “That sucks.”

 

David took a deep breath in and looked at her.

 

“And that was the _first_ part.”

 

The brunette woman widened her eyes, blinking incredulously. There was _more_?

 

David laughed unhumorously and shrugged at his friend’s face.

 

“Ma-- I mean, _that young man_ , showed up in my porch three months later.” The red-haired ex-camp-counselor said. “Apologizing and handing me a letter of recommendation for a nice job interview.”

 

Gwen frowned confused.

 

“Why would he do that?”

 

David glanced back at his friend, by the corner of his eyes and sighed in embarrassment.

 

“I had no idea at that time. But, really after a while - like, six to seven months later, I found out he’s the _owner_ of the company.”

 

The woman widened her eyes even more at the surprise.

 

“One of the campers is _that_ successful?!”

 

David nodded.

 

“Apparently he inherited a high amount of money from an uncle and decided to take over the man’s business.” He explained, drinking from his glass of water.

 

Gwen hummed, interested.

 

“Okay, _now_ I want to guess which camper are we talking about.”

 

David almost spit the liquid when he heard it. Face heating up quickly.

 

“ _Please_ , don’t.” David begged, pressing both hands together as it praying the gods to not let Gwen do it. “I _supplicate_.”

 

The brunette laughed at the despair in her old friend’s face.

 

“Alright, for _now_ , I won’t try guessing.” She said, drinking from her beer. Her finger raised while still holding the glass bottle and painted her pretty nail at David’s flushed expression. “But I want you to continue the story, it’s obvious that you two met up again - and you said your personal life is a mess, so I bet there’s more to tell.”

 

David wished she was wrong.

 

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

 

The ex-camp-counselor ran to catch the elevator before it closed. There were not many people in the building anymore - since it was way past business hours. But David had  

forgotten his keys inside his drawer, and they were the only keys he had!

 

He was praying for all the saints that there existed to keep Ms. Muack away from his bookshelves - if that platypus starts eating his book collections again he was going to have a serious conversation with her.

 

_“Wait-wait-wait-” Gwen interrupted him. “Wait!”_

_David knew what was coming and laughed._

_“You KEPT that shit?!”_

_The red-haired man shrugged and waved a hand around while replying._

_“Someone had to.”_

 

Once he entered the elevator, he started to pant - completely out of breath. In the mirror behind him, he adjusted his tie and tried to tidy up his vests.

 

It took David a second to notice there was a person in the elevator with him.

 

His eyes widened seeing the reflex of Max, resting his back on wall of the elevator, phone froze on his hands. His eyes, too, seemed widened in surprise.

 

David turned around to see the man, as if trying to make sure that wasn’t an illusion made by the mirror.

 

“Max!” David smiled, greeting the young man. It was a surprise to see him, yes, but not _unpleasant_. “What are you doing here?”

 

The young man’s face were slightly red for some reason. And David remembered his unkempt situation - loose tie and messy hair, sweat running down his neck because of the running. He was naive, sure, but not _dumb_. His state were probably the reason why Max seemed so uncomfortable suddenly.

 

“I… work here.” He answered after a while, averting eye contact.

 

“As well?” David replied. “That’s _great_ .” He beamed, truly happy for his ex-camper. “This company is _nice_ , I really enjoy working here.” The red-haired commented, remembering he never got the chance to thank the younger man. “Thank you... for helping me get this position.”

 

Max’s eyes focused back on David’s face while the older one were thanking him. The elevator was almost in their floor by the time the ex-camp-counselor finished. Max frowned after a second and approached David’s personal space, making the older man instinctively step back.

 

Max’s voice was low, but it was deep and harsh. His collar smelled like ash, which made David guess that he didn’t stop smoking like he promised he would do.

 

“ _David_ .” Max whispered his name, calling his total attention. “ _Do you want a raise_?”

 

The red-haired man blushed at the tone of the offer. It didn’t seem like an inoffensive question.

 

The elevator reached David’s floor - right at _that_ instant - and the older man stepped back running away from the younger one’s reach. He ran fast, until he was far far away from the metal doors, and, once he felt safe enough, he looked over his shoulder, seeing Max’s hand over the sensor’s that was keeping the door open. But he did not leave the elevator.

 

His face was in sorrow, and his eyes were filled with sadness. Which surprised the ex-camp-counselor and made him turn around, worried.

 

“I’m sorry...” Max told him, his voice echoing on the walls of the hall. “...that I made you lose your last job.”

 

David instinctively shook his head, denying.

 

“What?-- _No_ , Max-- That’s _not_ how--” His voice froze for a second, and he bit his thumb nail in shame thinking on what to reply. “Look,” He sighed and decided to step forward a bit, so he didn’t have to shout to make himself heard. “It’s okay now. It’s in the past.” He waved his hands aimlessly. “Let’s forget about it, all right?”

 

The caramel-skinned man didn’t nod his head in agreement, his eyes were still focussed on his ex-camp-counselor’s ones. As slowly as possible, Max took his hand off the sensor of the elevator while opening his mouth to reply.

 

“I wasn’t drunk, David.”

 

His words sounded distant, echoing through the walls of the floor, as the metal doors closed with him inside it.

  
  


_“Wooow” Gwen sounded gleeful at the story. “He does seems to have deep feelings for you.”_

_David’s red and uneasy face was entertaining her immensely._

_“But I didn’t know he was the owner of the company at that time, I found out about it just a week after that!”_

_Gwen laughed at his miserable face._

_“What makes it even more precious!” The woman retorted. “He hit on you, and you wasn’t even aware.”_

_David thought to himself that he indeed understood the flirting, even without that bit of information - but he was too ashamed to tell her._

 

David made friends at the company, which made him want to interact with people again - go to the movies, walk in the park, drink and chat about nothing specific. Just because it was entertaining.

 

The friends he made really likes the bar thing. Which made him frequent those places with them more than it was initially comfortable - but… he was feeling alone, so didn’t have too much strength to deny the invitation.

 

Over two years working there - David barely saw Max again.

 

But, sometimes, at the after-work bar hangout, the young man in his past would show up uninvited, sit with them and order a drink too.

 

The red-haired man would blink in astonishment at the audacity and courage to just do what he wanted to do - but he guessed Max was just that determined with his desires and had no place for doubts regarding any of his past choices.

 

It wasn’t always, but sometimes, when Max would show up in the same bar that David and his friends, the ex-camp-counselor would feel nervous and try going home earlier.

 

Once, Max followed him - saying he would company the man at some point and then he would go back. Which was the perfect excuse for him to taking the opportunity to smoke another pack of cigarettes. Nothing was really _about_ their weird past. Just two man walking down the street for David to reach his economic car.

 

The air of the night was good, the red-haired man remembered it pretty well and detailed.

 

Just like he remembered their making out session inside his own vehicle.

  


_“So you both shagged again?” Gwen asked, eyebrows raised up in her forehead._

_“Is that how it’s called?”_

_“Did you two…” Gwen waved funny fingers in the air. “--touched down there?”_

_David frozed his mouth opened as if he didn’t know how to reply to that._

_He decided to keep going with the story._

  


David was feeling really bad about what happened, which ignited him to think if he did deserved to stay in that position or he just did because, somehow, Max wanted to redeem his own deeds, or get inside his pants as a quick way to release pent up tension.

 

The red-haired man sighed at himself everytime he stopped to think about it - questioning himself if he should abandon this perfectly stable career and just find another job.

 

His values and morals were indeed confusing him.

 

The following weeks were uneventful, until Max showed up at his desk.

 

David’s surprised face did nothing to lessen the intense aquamarine blue stare - the older man glanced at both sides, trying to think on an escape plan.

 

Max pressed both hands on David’s desk, making the older guy flinch.

 

“I’m horrible at _this_ ,” The caramel-skinned man groaned, making David frown in worry and confusion. “just-- just _come with me_.” He said the words like they were a demand, not leaving room for any replies.

 

Much less _denies_.

 

David just followed him like he had nothing else to do.

 

_“So you never changed this passivity instinct?”_

_David only shrugged and continued explaining the rest of it._

 

Max took him outside of the building, and into a local cafe - there, he told David to sit in the farthest table of the place, while ordering the waitress to bring them two hot drinks.

 

The red-haired man scratched at his arms worried and, somehow, really _scared_.

 

Max sat in front of him, and sighed in distress. Hands combing his wavy and messy hair.

 

David squinted his eyes for a second, trying to actually _understand_ the situation.

 

“Max…”

 

The younger man looked at him, eyes as blue as they always were - then, he shook his head somehow disappointed at himself.

 

“ _Damn it_ , David.”

 

The ex-camp-counselor blinked and frowned, completely lost.

 

“Sorry.” He said, almost in instinct. Not sure _why_ he was saying it.

 

Max rolled his eyes at the familiar action.

 

“There’s no reason for you to say that.” The younger one said, pinching the middle of his eyes like a headache were appearing suddenly. “ _Look,_ ” David noticed a thin layer of dark circles under the young man’s eyes, which worried him a bit nonetheless. “I’m completely _inept_ of interacting like a normal human being, not even _close_ to be remotely _similar_ to what you truly _deserve_ \- but I want you anyway.” He said those words so fastly that David took a whole minute of fully understand what was said.

 

Then, he blushed.

 

He averted eye contact until their hot beverage were being placed on the table.

 

Max didn’t press the subject. Instead, he started to sip at his coffee and waited patiently for an answer.

 

David appreciated the action. He was really going to need time to answer that.

  


-:-:-:-:-:-

  


Gwen, thought, didn’t wait patiently until David finished his bottle of water - she waved her hand trying drag the rest of the story out of her friend.

 

“And theeen?!”

 

David kept in silence, making the woman frown in displease.

 

“...you didn’t answer him, did you?” She guessed right. After sighing loudly, Gwen flipped the rest of the beer at once and shook her head in disappointment. “ _Gosh_ , David.”

 

The older man also sighed, shrugging, playing with his hands over the bar counter.

 

“Honestly, Gwen, what would I say?” David confessed, face covered in concern and shame. “He’s twelve years _younger_ . I was practically the one he most _hated_ back in the Camp. I engaged in intercourse with him while being drunk in the middle of a camp full of twenty-year-old college students, _then_ , we did adults activities _again_ inside my pool automobile - which she did not deserve to present the action at all, I must add! - I should be _responsible_ for this feelings he’s having, because they may not even _be_ what he think it _does!_ ” The man rubbed at his forehead, saying all the insecure thoughts that were running his mind. “I thought I was a good role model back in the camp. Maybe not a father figure, but more like an older _brother_ . However, _instead_ , I may have turned one of my old campers gay without even _knowing_ how. He’s so _young_ , Gwen. Dating an old man like me will just waste his _time_.”

 

The woman sent him a sympathetic smile, resting her hand on David’s right shoulder, while the man was pressing the palm of his hands firmly into his own eyelids.

 

“I think…” Gwen started, getting David’s attention, making her friend glance at her instead of hiding his eyes. “you should _try_.”

 

The red-haired man shook his head fastly, denying.

 

“No, _nope_ .” He replied. “Sorry, Gwen. But that’s _not_ a really good advice.”

 

The brunette laughed and argued back.

 

“Hey, I _said_ I majored in girly magazines - not in love-counselor course.” She shrugged, but continued her point of view. “But, seriously, he’ not a kid anymore, he is an adult just like you were back in the camp. Put yourself in his skin. I think you should stop worrying about what is _causing_ this guy to like you - or what _may_ happen in the future - and start asking yourself if you _want_ to enjoy the ride and find out later, or miss all the fun.”

 

David widened his eyes and arched both eyebrows at the advice. He looked at the woman’s grinning face and blinked in daze.

 

“That…” He replied in a whisper, oh so slowly. “ _That_ makes sense.”

 

Grinning even more, Gwen gave David a few caressings on his back.

 

“You don’t need to regret something that did not happen yet.” She finished, saying. “You just need to be certain of your choice.”

 

The ex-camp-counselor nod his head, showing that he understood. Serenely, he smiled, and, by the corner of his eyes, he sent Gwen a tender glance, slowly whispering thankful words.

  


-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

  


“Neil, _look_ !” The peppermint-color-haired young woman grip at her fiancé’s arm, point at the other side of the street, shouting. “Is that _Max_?!”

 

“ _Outch_ .” The tall man wearing a sweater and black trousers sounded in pain at the sudden grip. “Wait- _What?_ ” He asked surprised.

 

At the other side of the street, Max, lighting up his a cigarette, was sitting in a bench of the park, typing in his phone - not realizing who were the other two people approaching him.

 

“MAX!!” Nikki, as enthusiastic as ever, ran to meet him, followed shortly by Neil.

 

The caramel-skinned man threw his cigarette on the ground, and stood from the bench to greet his old friends.

 

“ _Wou_ ,” He said, eyes widened in surprise. “It’s been a while.”

 

Nikki hugged him, without even asking for it. But Max ended up hugging her back as well.

 

“Yeah, almost _eleven years_.” Neil asked him, right hand tapping at his back in a way to greet him. “How have you been, man?”

 

Max shrugged one shoulder up, non-challengy.

 

“Living, mostly.” He answered. “Working, dating and daily shit.”

 

“Niiice.” Nikki answered, nodding and smiling in glee. “We got _engaged_ .” She showed Max the ring in her hand. “It’s _green_.” Her eyes shone at the mention of the color.

 

“Yeah, I can see that.” Max laughed, grinning, happy for them. “Congratulations on the long-lasting relationship.”

 

Neil looked at Max’s hands, but didn’t see a ring or anything that would tell if his friend were or not in a relationship.

 

So he decided to ask.

 

“So, who’s the lucky person?”

 

Max followed his eyes and flexed his hands to show that, indeed, he was not wearing any ring or bracelet.

 

“Oh,” The dark-haired man shrugged, before answering. “It’s David. From the Camp.” He told then, simple and direct, not even thinking twice on it. “But he doesn’t know we are dating yet.”

 

Nikki laughed out loud at the new precious information, and Neil frowned even more confused, waving his hands around like he was trying to understand what was happening.

 

 

 


End file.
